LoZ: A Link to the Future
by Woodsballer
Summary: The future is finally here. But some struggles never change. A traditional Legend of Zelda with a modern setting. Rated T for violence. COMPLETE
1. Intro

_**Legend of Zelda**_

_**A Link to the Future**_

The time of the Great Sea has passed. No longer are the people bound to the islands. Technology now stretches for the sky, connecting the four corners of the earth.

Throughout the world, metallic towers replace the wooden huts. Where once there were villages on distant islands, there are cities connected by miles of bridges and metal.

Technology allows for more possibilities than ever before. No longer are the Rito the only airborne species. No longer is combat limited to the sword. No longer are the people divided.

But as the world has grown, the people have not. The legend of the Golden Goddesses has long been forgotten. Science now offers other alternatives to the creation of the world.

Pollution from the great factory of Dragon Roost Island has added toxins that none have avoided. The Koroks, who were most sensitive to the planet, were the most affected. So great it became, the Korok are now all but extinct.

New technologies brought on new forms of greed. Intermittent battles between companies and families became common. Many focused on themselves more than on helping their neighbor.

In these times of trial, many stepped forward to unite and pacify. Only one succeeded. His name was Ganondorf.

With the world's blessing, he took a seat of power on Windfall Island, creating a hold on the world that none could challenge. For many years, peace began to settle over the Great Sea.

But the peace did not last. Ganondorf's power grew as his rule stretched on. The peace-keeping house began to demand more until an iron fist held the entire Sea within its grasp. Taxes, bridge tolls, even drafting soldiers were not beyond Ganondorf's control.

And the time when everyone thought it would end never seemed to come. Ganondorf reigned for years, yet his age never seemed to grow beyond fifties. Blades, bullets, and magic could not end his life. Even when he fell prey to a hoard of pirates, he returned with no more than bruises.

The people have had enough. A resistance began, led by one Zelda of Windfall. The People of the Great Sea work in secret to bring help to those Ganondorf oppresses and weaken his power.

**Legals: The characters in this story are property of Nintendo. The plot is property of littleurmey. I own nothing except for the story itself, which is not used for profit. It's mine, just nothing in it is mine; like a box that's mine that has stuff that's not mine. I'm going to shut up now.**


	2. 1

**1**

For the first time in over three years, Zelda wished they had taken a boat. The bridge was completely packed with late-afternoon travelers. They'd moved a total of half a mile within the past hour. If they didn't have such a precious cargo, she would have abandoned it and walked.

She also wished that they had something enclosed. The resistance group didn't have nearly enough money for autonomous vehicles. They still used horse-drawn carriages. The open air, which once would have been a breath of fresh air, was choked with motor fumes and summer sweat. It also allowed her to hear all of the noises. Several older men were shouting, trying to make the checkpoint move faster. A child a few cars back was crying. And then there were the beggars.

Her attention lingered on them the most. They were called the Hyltas among the upper class. They had been the worst to suffer under Ganondorf's rule. There had once been a time in history where such a group of people did not exist. Now there were more Hyltas then there were upper-class.

With any luck, she could change that.

Using one arm, she pushed herself up, looking over the other cars and carriages. The checkpoint was only a few hundred yards away. "There wasn't a checkpoint here last week was there?" she asked. Really, she knew the answer already. She just wanted to take her mind off of other things.

Joll, holding the reins next to her, check his watch. "No. Which is probably why it's taking so long."

She looked back at the bed of cargo. The boxes were getting hot. "The food will go bad if we don't get through it in the hour."

"Aye." There wasn't much else to say. They both knew the risk, and it didn't involve food.

They waited patiently, inching forward every few minutes. Twice Joll stepped down to give the horse some water. The summer sun wasn't good for any of them.

Zelda was trying to shoo off a beggar when a trumpet blew from up ahead. It shrilled twice, then once longer. She froze, every muscle going completely tight. "He's here?"

Joll took his own pause of shock before quickly running towards the back of the wagon, grabbing a blanket. "Quick. Get in the back."

She jumped over the small wall, staying as low as she could. She could already hear the crowd hushing in terrified reverence. Joll pulled open the lid of an empty box, there for exactly this situation. She tucked her legs in and settled onto her side, arms tight across her chest. Without a word, Joll slid the lid closed, leaving her in darkness. She knew without having to see that he would cover the box with a tarp and retake his place at the seat.

She was quite familiar here, but each time it sped her heart. If it were any other checkpoint, she would have simply ridden up front. But with any sort of magician in range, she had to hide. One interesting quirk of magic was that a magician could easily sense another magician. That was bad news for anyone resisting the government. If she focused to create a defensive spell, they would sense her. Here within the box, she could focus her energy on shielding herself, but that would leave her helpless if they did find her. And with _him_ here, it only made things worse.

The whole wagon lurched as Joll resettled into the seat. Zelda took a calming breath, bringing her magic around herself, creating a tight vortex of energy. She was now invisible and completely helpless.

Seconds passed into anxious minutes. She tried to slow her breathing as much as possible, but she couldn't stop her heart from drumming in the confined space. Outside, she could hear very little over the idling engines around the cart.

"Hello," she heard from outside. It was low and somewhat raspy. That was him. "What wares have you today?"

"Food for the school on Windfall, sir," she heard Joll answer.

"Hm…" Something struck the side of the cart, creating a loud bang. She gasped, but forced herself not to make any sound. "Open it."

The cart creaked as Joll dismounted. He shuffled along the side of the cart.

Zelda held her breath, hoping he wasn't talking about her box. Every fiber in her body screamed to use a teleportation spell. But she forced herself not too. She wouldn't be able to escape the bridge.

A box creaked and a lid was pulled free.

No light. The light didn't come pouring in.

"Vegetables."

"Yes, sir. Not enough money for much else."

A few seconds of tense silence passed slowly. "Carry on." Footsteps hit outside along with the clank of metal on metal.

Zelda finally allowed herself to breathe. Another close shave barely avoided. But she couldn't step out yet. They'd see her. So she stayed in the box for another forty minutes until they went through the checkpoint and to the island on the far side of the bridge, the box seeming to get hotter and hotter with each passing minute.

At long last, Joll pulled the box lid off. "You OK?"

She took her hand and pulled herself up. "Yeah. Nice job."

She put the lid back on as Joll grabbed another wood box. She picked up her own and followed him towards Windfall Island.

Of all the islands, Windfall had been transformed the most since the old days. The girth of the island had nearly tripled with new buildings. It had also become the economic and political center of the world. Several of the towers stretched nearly a thousand feet high, connecting to create layer above layer of city space. The highest point, and the highest point on the planet, was Ganondorf's palace, commonly called "Ganon's Tower."

But their destination was on the ground. Honeybee's School was one that helped families that couldn't afford the better schools. Miss Honeybee also provided lunches for the students. This was a quite common cover-up for the People when they had to smuggle goods: like today. But out of their kindness, and to keep up appearances, they always made some delivery to the school.

As they walked the crowded streets, Zelda looked around as she always did. It was hard to believe that in only seventy years society had fallen so low. She could see blatant deals of illegal substances beside places where men and women sold their bodies in revolting ways. This is what had become of the Great Sea after Ganondorf rose to power.

It sickened her stomach.

The building they approached was solid brick, with a metal door and sign. They knocked three times before a slightly pudgy woman with thick blond curls answered the door. "Joll. Zelda. So good to see you. Please, come in."

As soon as they walked through, they were bombarded with chattering children. Zelda laid down her box and was hugged by several of them.

"Thank goodness you came. We've been short on food for the past few days."

"Well, this will keep you good for a few weeks."

"Bless you."

Joll took the boxes towards the back, most of the children following him. "_The poor souls must be starving,"_ Zelda thought to herself. Then she turned to Honeybee. "Any news?"

Honeybee dropped her voice to little more than a whisper. "The Senate and Council are determining the worth of searching the Fortress. General Brand thinks it's pointless, and he has a lot of support. But there are groups building strength to push the move through."

Zelda gave a nod. Honeybee had always been a valuable asset to the People. The children may be poor, but a lot of forbidden knowledge could be heard in the lower levels, and children heard most of it.

Joll stepped back out into the hallway. "We should go."

Zelda nodded as he stepped around them. Miss Honeybee gave her a hug as the stepped outside. "Thank you. Do come again."

They walked back out through the city. At one point, a soldier passed them and gave Zelda a particular stare she didn't like. But she let it go. She never knew when a magician would be around.

As they passed out of the main city, Joll checked his watch. "The boat leaves in twenty."

"We'll make it."

They made for their cart as quickly as possible, grabbing the last of the two boxes. But instead of going back, they turned towards the water. Below them, at the shoreline, was a harbor. While most travel was now done via the miles of bridges, heavy transportation was still done by boats, which took much longer but was still cheaper. Because of this, the waterways weren't frequently monitored by the military. Which of course meant that was the ideal way to sneak around the globe.

No one else on the docks gave them a second look as they went along. Their destination was a shed that sat over the water. It was owned by a private family, so many would probably not think it was related to the underground. It wasn't even locked.

Five minutes later, they slid open the door and drove the small, single-engine boat out into the water just as a large cargo ship was passing by. They quickly drove up alongside, hiding under its hull. Soon, the towering city was left behind.


	3. 2

**2**

After half an hour of staying within feet of the rusty hull, they angled the boat away towards a shadow on the horizon. The large shadow quickly grew to a looming stone fortress.

This was the People of the Great Sea's hideout, the Forsaken Fortress, called so because of the minefield surrounding it. The military had placed the hundred or so mines when a terrorist group took up residence. But the People found a way through the mines and set up their own base of operations. Because of the mines, no one ever comes around and the military believe it to be secure. It was the ultimate hiding spot.

Joll's eyes stayed glued to the navi-computer screen as he slowly guided the boat home. They would follow a curving path to the side of the fortress and then follow the wall to the entrance.

Zelda looked up the wall, trusting in Joll's skills. A body peaked over the wall and then quickly vanished. They would be scanning the boat now, checking for anything suspicious. Nothing happened, as usual.

They turned back along the wall ten minutes after entering the minefield. Another five minutes and they were passing through the rotting wooden doors. Men were already stepping from the rooms cut into the thick walls, going to pull them in by the rope that Zelda tossed them. When they touched the wall, Joll pulled the engine up as another man pulled her up from the boat.

She stepped through the ring of men, trusting them to take care of the boxes. Another, older man was waiting for her beyond the ring. It was Mido, her second. He turned and fell into step with her. "Welcome back, Zelda. Was your trip successful?"

"Yes. Seven cases of standard medical supplies." She took a cloth he handed her and wiped her brow of sweat. "But there's something else that concerns me." They stopped at a metal door, which he opened for her. "Ganondorf was on the bridge."

Mido had a moment of shock, but then calmed as they walked. "At least you made it out."

"That's not the point." They turned from the hallway into a room ringed with computers and a table in the middle. "He's been appearing in public more and more and we have no way of knowing when he'll be where." She pulled out a chair and sat. "Even our deepest spies can't get hold of his schedule."

Mido stepped over to a computer and picked up a folder before joining her at the table. He slid the folder across to her.

She opened it, scanning a few pages. It was just more updates. "I'll read it later." The folder slid to the next seat.

"Zelda, are you feeling ok? When was the last time you got some sleep?"

She sighed. "I don't know. A few days ago?"

"A few days? You should take better care of yourself."

She pushed back from the table and stood, almost throwing the chair to the floor. "I don't have time to take care of myself. Ganondorf is out there wreaking havoc to our world. We need to find a way to stop him."

A door opened and an older woman stepped into the room. "Zelda, you can't help the world if you cannot even help yourself."

Zelda breathed deeply, forcing her muscles to slowly relax. "Of course, Saria." She pulled the chair back in and sat. "I'm just a bit anxious, I suppose. This has been going on for so long and I just want it to end."

"We all want it to end." Saria waddled over to the table, sighing loudly as she lowered herself into a seat. "But even a great tree takes many years to grow."

"It's been 60 years already. How much longer will it take?"

"Do not rush it, child. When we rush, mistakes are made. Even a small error could cause us many problems. Patience is key."

Zelda sighed. As always, Saria was quite the sage. She always had words of wisdoms, even if she didn't really like them. "Fine." She stood up, much more gently this time. "I'm going to check out our supplies before _trying_ to get some shut eye."

"If you're looking for a way to discover Ganondorf's movements, there may be a way to do so," Saria said casually as Zelda walked by.

She stopped, turning. "Really?"

Saria remained facing forward. "There is a young man within Ganondorf's inner circle that is slowly beginning to turn. He may be able to help us."

"Who is he?"

----------

Link stood behind Vall, patiently taking notes. Ganondorf, at the head of the table, was debating with Brand about the newest military proposal. Right now, Brand's arguments were gaining more support than Ghar's, the proposal's main supporter.

"How certain are you that the Fortress' minefield is impenetrable?" Ganondorf asked.

Brand checked in his folder. "Based on the number of mines within the area, the chance of finding a safe path through it is somewhere around 300 to 1."

"Which after 50 years of trying is not so impossible," Ghar interrupted.

"Anyone losing even a few people to a minefield probably won't try again."

"I should remind everyone," Shar pointed out, "that the Senate has denied our request for further funds on this matter."

"Agreed," Ganondorf said, cutting the argument down. "Unless you show me more evidence that we should actually check, Ghar, this proposal will stay a proposal."

Ghar bowed his head in agreement and defeat.

Link quickly noted on his pad the result. He had no doubt that Ghar would find his evidence eventually. The man was a master of finding dirt where none existed. He had once single-handedly gotten Ganondorf's successor banished on a case of property ownership. But Brand was the greatest tactician in Ganondorf's court. The debates on this proposal would get very exciting.

Threll rose from his seat, showing he had some business. "I present article seven on the bulletin. A recent tax collection was suddenly intercepted and stolen." Threll's assistant went around, placing down small folders to each member. "We have no idea who took the funds or where they were placed, but we suspect it is related to the People."

Link could see Ganondorf's face visibly tighten at the name of the underground resistance. Most of the court had very negative feelings towards the group. Link could easily understand why. The People's movements were always against the upper class, and the court was quite often the prime targets. He had even read some of the reports on known People activities. They never took more than enough to keep their numbers operating. Every other Rupee went the Hyltas. It was actually quite noble.

Threll continued. "There was also a small increase in funds among a few community institutions. There is absolutely no evidence besides timing to show a connection, but my analysts believe there is some sort of correlation." He sat. The rest would be in the folder.

Brand spoke quickly, even before Threll had completely relaxed. "How can you possibly speculate that the People are involved? All of the funds were lost through the Greatfish Isle collectors. That group has had holes ever since it was founded."

"How can you _not_ suspect them?!" another court member practically shouted. Chelise was the only female member of the court and the single strongest opponent of the People. She tended to see the People behind every possible conspiracy, big or small. "Clearly this money was stolen. It was also given to small private organizations, the People's primary recipients."

Link jotted down her comment.

"Anyone could have given that money to them," Vall stated simply. "Perhaps a family found another sea chest."

"You are foolish to think this is only a coincidence, Vall."

Link added a star by Chelise's name. She would need watching on this topic.

"I agree," Ganondorf said from his seat. "Threll, go to each institution and find out where their money came from. Say it's for tax purposes or something of that nature. If it is the stolen funds, I want it back plus interest."

A woman walked in and walked over to Ganondorf. A few quiet words were shared and the large ruler stood. "An important matter has just come to my attention." The court members stood in respect. "You are all dismissed."

They waited for Ganondorf to walk out before filing to their own offices. Link followed silently behind Vall. At one point, Vall held his hand over his shoulder and Link handed over the note pad.

The two made a very good team. Vall was a wizard at finding all possible angles and at making impossible connections. Link was always willing to make jumps on even the slightest chances. Many had called him the Courageous Fool for it. But with Vall at the lead, it worked.

As soon as the doors to Vall's office closed, he finally spoke. "It may not be such a good idea to make such stupid comments, sir."

Vall cocked an eye at him as he stepped around his solid wood desk. "That coming from you, Link? I honestly think that another sea chest is more likely than People activity."

Link sat in the plush pig leather chair as Vall sat in his desk chair. "I think Chelise actually has a point in her argument. There is very little money amongst the lesser communities anymore, sea chests included." _"Which is something that should be changed,"_ he added in his head.

"Perhaps. But there are still areas of the sea that we have yet to discover."

"Granted. But if we have yet to, they most likely-"

The phone on the desk rang, cutting him off. Vall gave him a quick look and Link stood and walked from the room. It was probably better anyway. Link had some files that needed to be completed before he took off for the day.

Within seconds of him stepping into his own room, the intercom on his phone beeped. "Link, there's a young lady here to see you."

"Send her in." He quickly opened a folder and began to work, pretending not to notice as his door opened and closed. The edge of his eye picked up a white business dress. "May I help you with something ma'am?"

"There is something, yes." There was a pause. "I am involved in high treason with all means available to me. Can I count you in?"

Link's pen froze mid-stroke. He slowly looked up into the woman's eyes. "E…excuse me?"

**A/N: Ah, the cliffhanger. I love that line. Now leave a review telling me what you think. Please.**


	4. 3

**A/N: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! As my gift to all of you, I'm posting two chapters today. But, I am taking a vacation starting tomorrow and won't be able to post this week. So enjoy these chapters and I'll see you all later!**

**3**

Link's pen froze mid-stroke. He slowly looked up into the woman's eyes. "E…excuse me?"

"I am a representative of the People of the Great Sea. We are looking for a man on the inside that could give us some help. Interested?"

They held each other's eyes for a second. And then Link let out a slow laugh. "This is a joke right? I mean, no one's stupid enough to just come out and ask that. Where are the cameras?" he asked, looking around the room. When he turned back, her face was still straight. The smile on his lips faded. "You're serious?"

"You tell me."

Link was baffled. "You can't be serious. Not only would you coming here put yourself at risk, but then just telling someone is practically screaming 'Kill me'."

"You know what they say about desperate times," she replied simply. "And we don't tell everyone. Just those that we feel we can trust."

"So why me?" His eyes still wandered, looking for cameras. He had gone past 'practical joke' and was onto 'some kind of test'.

"You're deep enough in that no one will suspect you. You have reason for doubt and something to fight for. You're exactly the kind of man we need."

He reached forward and picked up the phone. "I'm reporting this."

Her hand reached forward and pressed the button down, cutting off the line. "Before you do, think about something. For the past several years, you've seen Ganondorf and his court gain more and more wealth while people like your grandmother go further into debt."

Link's eyes flashed. They knew about his grandmother? But she was all the way on Outset.

"Do you really want them to suffer?" She let her words hang in the air for several seconds and then lifted her finger. "I'll be at the northwest docks until 2. If you're interested, meet me there." She stood, gave a gentle nod, and opened the door. "It was nice to meet you," she spoke as the door closed behind her.

For a moment, Link just sat with the phone by his ear, the dial tone ringing through his head. This couldn't be real.

But what if it was? Was that a better way to help his grandmother? In his five years, he'd barely managed to scrape up enough to cover her medical needs with some left over. Could he risk everything he'd built on something like this?

He dropped the phone onto the hook and walked outside. The elevators were just down the hall. He pressed the call button. To his surprise, one of the doors opened immediately. The woman was leaning against the rear glass that overlooked the city and distant sea. "Why'd you say yes?" she asked as soon as their eyes locked.

"It's a slim chance…"

"And you like taking risks." She held his gaze, seeming to search his very soul. "You're a courageous fool, Link. The world could use more people like you."

She gestured for him to enter. He did. The elevator closed and began its descent towards the city depths.

----------

Several hours later, he was gaping up at the massive stone structure asking himself for the millionth time why he was here. He should be back at his office doing paperwork. But he didn't have any desire at all to go back. The ride had awakened a sense of excitement in his depths, even if it was a bit frightening and highly illegal.

When they entered through the large doors, he heard several guns click. When he turned, a line of men had old rifles all pointing his way. He practically spilled from the boat.

Zelda held up a hand. "Hold your fire. This man is our newest operative."

They slowly lowered their rifles as the boat came alongside the stone floor. Zelda stepped out and then helped Link. A few men stayed within hitting range and kept weary eyes on him. "Ignore them," Zelda insisted. "They've been trained to suspect everyone of being a spy."

Link followed her through the crowd of men. "How do you know I'm not a spy?"

She turned her head halfway. "Call it a feeling." She opened a side door and stepped inside.

Another man was waiting inside. He held a pistol, but down at his side. "Zelda, I really must protest."

"Your objection has been noted, Mesa."

The man named Mesa let Zelda pass, but moved his body into Link's path, blocking him. "Madam, he is part of Ganondorf's inner circle. He's too deep. As your head of security, I say he can't be trusted."

"And as the leader of the People, I say he _can_ and _will_ be trusted." Her voice had such a sense of finality to it that Mesa seemed to be at a sudden loss for words. At Zelda's gesture, Link moved around him and they left him in the hall.

"What's his problem?" he asked once they were through the next door.

"He's just a little paranoid. It's a good thing to have in a security head, but sometimes he goes a bit overboard."

They stepped through another door and into the main chamber. A few people lingered at the computers, doing work that Link could only guess at. A few people leaned over papers on the table, talking earnestly. "Saria, Mido, this is Link." The two at the table and a few at the computers turned their heads. Only the woman, who appeared old and frail, walked over to them.

Link bowed a bit in respect. She surprised him by offering her hand. When he moved to give hers, she grabbed it and turned it palm-down, looking over and feeling his skin. "You have strength in your hands," she spoke in a crackly voice. "These hands are bound for magnificent things." She looked up into his surprised eyes. "You have much courage, Link. That is good. You will need it." She let his hand drop and returned to the table.

Link turned to Zelda. "What was that?"

She suppressed a laugh. "That's Saria, the People's elder. She knows everything about the Histories and is quite wise. Don't let her manner throw you off." She stepped towards the table, pulling him along.

The other man at the table asked as they approached, "Zelda, did you…"

"No, Mido. I will tonight. I promise."

He cocked a brow at her and returned to his sheets.

"So what have we come up with?" Zelda asked as she finally arrived at the table.

"We think we have a workable enough situation." Mido pressed a button on the table and four light projectors created a three-dimensional map over the table.

Link recognized it quickly. "That's Windfall."

"Yes. We know Ganondorf will be making a public speech some time next week from one of the Spires. The only problem is that we don't know when or where on which one. In theory, it doesn't matter where, as our snipers can hit him from…"

"Snipers?" Link blurted, cutting Mido off. "An assassination?"

"What did you expect?"

He shook his head furiously. "No. There has to be some other way to…"

"We've already tried everything, Link," Zelda cut in. "He's created too many fail-safes. The only way to save the people from him is to eliminate him permanently."

"I know how you feel," Saria added with a saddened voice. "It hurts me to even consider taking another's life. But sometimes we must inconvenience ourselves if it helps the greater good."

He still didn't feel comfortable about it.

"You won't have to have any part of it," Mido insisted. "All we need from you is a place and time. Preferably at least 24 hours in advance."

Link looked into the hologram, trying to forget exactly what he was promising to do: hand over a man's life. "I can do that."

"That's my man." Mido gave him a friendly slap on the back. Link only shared a sliver of his joy.

Zelda took his hand again. "Now that that's out of the way, let's get you more acquainted with your new job."

----------

Link got a general tour of the Fortress. With each room, he felt a little more adventurous. This place was so mysterious and he simply wanted to explore and discover.

"One more stop before we head back," Zelda said, putting her hand on a large wooden door towards the top of the fortress. When they stepped in, a large wall of view screens lit up Link's face. They showed views of the sea in all directions and various points within the fortress. One corner of the room had been sectioned off with metal bars and held a large assortment of technical items. A large table in the middle was littered with more random things.

And one man seemed to be running the entire thing. He was watching the screens when they walked in and turned at their appearance. "Ah, you're here."

"Hello, Arty."

The man, who was slightly pudgy and wearing wire glasses, quickly stood and walked over to the table. "Come closer, Link. Let's get you geared up."

Link gave Zelda a glance before stepping over. Arty fluttered from place to place, picking up items. He finally jumped over to the end of the table in front of Link, which had a small empty space, and spilled several items onto the metal. He picked up one that looked like a blue gem about the size of his palm. "This is a Gossip Stone. It allows you to speak to anyone else that has a Gossip Stone." He dropped it in front of Link and started to grab something else.

"How?"

He stopped. "Excuse me?"

Link held up the stone. "How does it work?"

"We don't really know. It sort of…" He fidgeted, thinking. And then in a quick rush, "Well it takes the vibrations from your voice and transmits them to this one sort of like a telephone… somehow." He picked up a several small items, introducing each one and handing them to him.

And then he picked up a tiny pistol. "Oh, no," Link said, holding up his hands. "I don't think I need one of those."

"Oh, no. This isn't a normal gun. This…" He pointed it to a wooden beam and pulled the trigger. Instead of a bang, it gave a low pop and a tiny dart dug into the wood. "…Is a dart gun. Each dart has a sedative. As long as it breaks the skin, it will drop a full-grown man in five seconds."

Link gingerly reached out and took the piece of metal. It was only the length of his pinky.

"There's also a wrist holster. How familiar are you with nav computers?"

Link shrugged. "Not very."

Arty formed a grin. He moved over to the large cage and flipped a lock. He disappeared into a dark corner and appeared a second later, something cupped in his hands. "In that case, I'd like to introduce you to NAVI." His top hand lifted off and a small sphere of blue light floated upwards. It zipped forward, floating around Link's chest and head.

Link turned his head, trying to keep up with the little spark of light. And then it stopped just in front of his face. He suddenly realized it was actually a small humanoid robot. "Wow."

"Hi," the little woman spoke. "I'm NAVI, Navigational Assistant Virtual Intelligence."

Link smiled. "Nice to meet you. I'm Link."

Zelda laughed to herself. Arty had actually found someone to take NAVI. Everyone had refused to take her when they realized it was practically alive. NAVI had been the first and last experiment with artificial intelligence.

Arty clapped his hands, looking around. "Well, I think that's it. Off you go."

"Good idea," Zelda said in agreement. "We need to go if we want to make Windfall before sundown."

Link followed her out, NAVI following closely.

**A/N: Shoutout to all the fellow Warehouse 13 fans that understand the character!**


	5. 4

**4**

Zelda returned Link to Windfall Island just as the sun was setting. She walked with him as far as the base of the South Spire. The rest of the way he went on his own, riding the elevator for a good three minutes before it stopped at his apartment level seventy-three stories high. Being the main assistant to one of Ganondorf's high advisers allowed him to be in this often considered prestigious rise.

At first, he was crowded into the middle of the elevator with bodies nearly crushing him from every side. But as they went higher, the number of people slowly waned until he was the only one left. NAVI fluttered in the air.

He lounged against the rail that ran along the glass when he finally could. With nothing else to think about, his mind tumbled with what he was promising to do. He tried to convince himself that all he was doing was giving out information. But the truth of it didn't escape him: he was going to kill a man. He wouldn't actually be pulling the trigger, but he was aiming the gun.

The bell dinged and he stepped into the hallway. A left, two rights, and another left, third door on the right. As soon as he stepped through the door, the lights came to life, illuminating a moderate-sized apartment. Immediately to his left was the bedroom and bathroom. Straight ahead was the living space and dining room. A section off of that was the kitchen. And directly across the living space was an impressive view of the sea. Even from his point just inside the door, he could easily see the smoke stacks of Dragon Roost. Standing next to it, one had a 90-degree, eighty-mile view that most would pay millions for. It was great perk to being a government official.

NAVI instantly flew inside, quickly zipping here and there. "You live here? Wow."

Link let her go. His mind had become too heavy on the ride up. He simply went to the kitchen, poured himself a shot of water from the sink which he drank, and began his routine for getting ready for bed.

Thirty minutes later, he was in his bed, gazing at the dark ceiling. NAVI was standing rigid on the dresser, her own strange form of sleep. He wished he could go to sleep as well, but his mind wouldn't calm down enough. A thousand cries of anger, fear, and hope echoed through his head: _"You shouldn't be doing this!", "Can I actually go through with it?", "The world deserves something better."_

The last thought seemed to have the greatest strength. Ganondorf was slowly destroying their world. Many had tried to get him office one way or another and all of them had failed. And the longer he reigned, the worse things got.

But was it all bad? If Ganondorf weren't in power, he wouldn't be sleeping in this bed at this very moment. He would still be on Windfall with his grandmother, trying desperately to keep her condition in check and most likely failing. The money he got from this job was the only thing keeping her alive.

But he knew that even while she was alive, her conditions grew worse. He couldn't stop the relentless tax collectors that Ganondorf himself sent out. If he was gone, someone could lower the taxes and finally give the Hyltas a chance to really live.

It was dangerous, what he was going to do. If anyone found out that he had even been contacted by the People, he would be thrown in jail and probably tortured for information. He guessed the chance of success somewhere around 15 percent. Slim, but it was more than enough for him. But there was always a chance…

Some time after an hour of sleepless turning and thinking, his mind finally drifted into slumber.

----------

The next day, Link sat with Vall at a large table at the Shunk Room, a high-class restaurant in the West Tower. They were waiting for Tarich, the head of the Guero Company, one of the lesser weapons manufacturers. Apparently they were looking to increase their contract.

But Link wasn't as focused on the upcoming meeting as he should be. He couldn't stop his eyes from darting around, searching for anything that didn't seem normal. At this very second, NAVI was scanning and hacking the main system for when Ganondorf's next public speech would take place. If she were tracked, he'd be dead.

While she (he had quickly moved to calling NAVI she instead of it) was quite helpful, she was also sort of annoying. On the trip over, she flew in front of his face with some comment about a nearby restaurant. "Hey! There's a small eatery up ahead on the left." "Hey! To the right is a cheap stand-up deli." It finally got so annoying that Link put her on silent mode. He would change her settings later.

Certain that no one was spying on him, he refreshed himself on his notes. Tarich was a merciless businessman. He had practically blackmailed the government to have his weapons used by the military. But in every other matter, he was quite complacent. Which meant that if they could get his attention onto something else, he would be much easier to handle.

A waiter approached, followed by a small group of people. Link recognized Tarich and stood. When he looked back, he froze. A woman and younger woman were trailing behind him. He didn't recognize the older woman. But he recognized the younger woman instantly. It was Zelda! She passed her gaze over him, but didn't bat an eyelash.

"Hello, Vall," Tarich opened, quickly shaking the man's hand. "I hope you don't mind, but my family decided to tag along. I think my daughter, Zelda, could learn from seeing a negotiation in action."

"Of course, Tarich. It's no problem. You already know my assistant, Link."

Link blinked several times, forcing to bring his mind back under control. He accepted Tarich's hand. "Good to meet you again, sir."

"Likewise." He gestured to the woman next to him. "This is my wife, Susan." Then to Zelda, "And my daughter, Zelda." They both bowed.

The food came shortly after. Link kept glancing in Zelda's direction every now and then. But he never got a single hint that she was recognizing him. It must have been a ploy to pretend they didn't know each other. And she was doing an incredible job.

When the negotiations finally started, Link instantly turned into a diplomat. He mostly monitored Vall and Tarich fervently discussing the need for weapons and if Guero could provide them, taking notes throughout. Occasionally he would slip notes to Vall that helped in one way or another. After about an hour, they agreed to submit the proposal to Ganondorf.

As they were leaving, Zelda turned to him. "It was an honor watching you. You and Vall make a good team." She offered her hand.

He took it, thinking it was just to keep up appearances or something. But then he felt a slip of paper in her palm. When she released his grasp, the paper slipped into his hand. He wrapped his fingers around it and pulled it to his side, dropping it into his pocket as soon as he could. The moment he got the chance on their walk back, he pulled it out. It was a simple note that read, "Docks 7".

He rolled it back up and dropped it into his pocket. "I'm sorry, Vall, but I have to go do some other things."

Vall stopped and turned. "That's fine. But remember to run those numbers before tomorrow."

"I'll do that, sir."

He made his way down to the docks right away, since it was already quarter of seven. Zelda was waiting for him. "You failed to mention that you were in a seat of power."

Zelda shrugged. "Does it really matter?"

He stepped into the boat. "I'd like to think so."

"Well, you're wrong."

They pulled out into the water, pulling alongside a big cargo hauler.

"So what are we going to do this time?" he asked, raising his voice to shout over the waves and the massive engines next to them.

"Mesa wants to do some weapons training with you."

Link started to press her further, but the hauler's engines sped up, cutting off any words he tried to say. So he decided to just wait.

Eventually, they floated through the doors of the Fortress. And Mesa was already waiting for them. "How are you with late nights, Link?"

A man helped pull him onto the solid rock. "I can go pretty well."

Mesa smirked. "We'll see."

Mesa quickly took the lead with Link trailing behind. Zelda went another direction with NAVI.

Link started to become nervous when he and Mesa entered an indoor gun range. "I've never fired a gun before."

"Which is exactly why you're here." Mesa walked to a weapons locker in the back and took out a black pistol. "This is a 30-cal pistol. It will be yours. Carry it at all times for self-defense." He held it out to Link.

But Link just stepped back. "I'm not doing that."

Mesa focused his eyes. Link could see that Mesa really didn't like him. "You will do it. I'm in charge of security here. So if I say you do it, you do it."

Link couldn't fight the tone in his voice. So he stepped forward and gently took the piece of cold metal. Before he could say or do anything else, Mesa pulled a set of ear covers over his head and gave a quick gesture towards the range stand.

They took a few minutes going over how to load and prep the gun. And then they got into the actual shooting. Link held it tightly, trying to imagine how he'd seen people hold a gun. One breath in, a gentle tug… The gun bucked loudly in his hands, causing him to visibly flinch. It was much more powerful than he thought it would be. But it also had an intense pleasure to it. He sighted down it again and repeated it. He didn't know if he was actually hitting the target, but he kept shooting. By the end of his third clip, he was able to shoot without flinching and with some speed.

"Very nice." The sheet moved forward on a chain. To his great surprise, only a few bullets had hit outside of the target. The rest were spread throughout the large black circle. "Very nice. You should practice at least once a week. Now to some close-quarters training."

Link followed him down a set of stairs into a large gym. A rack of weapons lined one wall. "Choose your preference," Mesa said with a wave at the row of weapons.

Unlike the guns, he'd actually had some training in swords. "The lightsword."

Mesa cocked an eyebrow. "So you're familiar with swords. In that case…" He went to a cabinet in the back. From it, he took two weapons, a wooden sword and a long quarterstaff. The sword he threw to Link. "Let's see how good you are."

**A/N: Filler chapter, but next week's episode will be worth the slightly longer wait. I promise.**


	6. 5

**A/N: Wow. What a week. No net access, dishwasher didn't work, no… Oh, you don't care? You just want the story? Fine. Here's the action scene I made you wait for. Enjoy and please remember to review!**

**5**

Link swung the sword in several broad circles. The wooden sword was heavy on the blade end. He wouldn't be as agile with it. That made his disadvantage to Mesa's quarterstaff even greater.

As if to prove the point, Mesa twisted his wrist, sending his staff into a flurry of spins ending in a crouching defensive stance. "Defend yourself." He spun and brought the staff into a wide horizontal sweep.

Link barely had time to bring up his sword to defend. He knocked the attacking stick up over his head, but it wasn't harmless. The strike sent a shockwave through his arm. So not only was he less maneuverable, he had a strength disadvantage as well.

Mesa continued his swing, coming back for another attack. This time, Link jumped over the staff and forward, raising the sword for a drop strike. But Mesa saw it. He pulled his staff in, stopping it to catch the strike head on.

Another flash of pain went up Link's arm. As soon as he landed, he jumped back out of range. His arm stung and was slightly numb. There was no way he could last many more of those direct hits.

----------

Zelda waited with Arty in the lab for NAVI to finish the search. It was good that Link had taken her. If he had never joined, they wouldn't have any chance. Link's connections gave her the perfect point to launch her ghost program. It shouldn't take too much longer.

She looked around the lab again, searching for something to catch her attention. She found it on one of the camera monitors. Mesa and Link were fighting with wooden staffs. And they seemed to be going at it pretty hard. A small crowd was already gathering around the edge of the dueling zone.

She decided that it would probably be better to watch the fight in person. With a simple thought, magical energies swarmed around her, temporarily blocking her vision. When they dissipated, she was in the gym.

----------

Link gave his head a quick shake, sending beads of sweat flying. Four attempts to land a blow, four quick blocks. He was honestly surprised he was still able to hold the wooden sword tightly.

But Mesa didn't seem to have any weak points. His staff was just too quick. And he hadn't even moved more than a step from where he started. "Is that the best you can do?" He swung the staff around and back into a defensive position.

Link's mind stopped for a moment. Why had he done that? It would have been easier to simply move it back into place? Why take it all the way around? Come to think of it, he hadn't made any left-to-right swings. Every attack had come from his right side. An idea formed in his head. It was a slim chance. Right up his alley.

He lunged forward, thrusting the sword. Mesa spun a deflection from his right, just as he'd though. The sword was crashed away. But instead of retaliating, Link changed direction and moved right, staying just ahead of the counterblow that he knew was coming from the other direction. At the same time, he twisted his wrist, sending his sword into a backhand curve thrust. He felt it press against flesh for a fraction of a second. And then he jumped out, narrowly missing the swinging staff.

The space froze as Link got out of range. He quickly turned around, moving into a defensive stance. But Mesa was already lowering his staff to his side. Several people around the gym looked mildly shocked. A few were clapping.

Zelda suddenly stepped out, clapping her hands lightly. "Well done, Link. Not many can best Mesa when he's using a quarterstaff."

Mesa gave a scowl and made for the door, leaving his staff on a rack as he left.

Someone handed Link a towel, which he took gratefully. He hadn't realized during the battle, but he'd worked up a nice sweat. It had been years since he'd had a spar this intense. To be honest, he had no real business doing that well.

"But you won't have just sword fights out there," Zelda continued. "Tomorrow, you'll have your real test."

The door at the end of the gym suddenly burst open. Arty tore through the crowd with NAVI floating overhead. "We have it! It's in four days."

----------

They sent him on his way as the sun was starting to set. Zelda decided not to join him this time. So they agreed to give him his own boat. As soon as he laid eyes on it, he wished they didn't.

They called it the King of Red Lions. It was only a small two-person craft painted a bright red color all the way around. The front of the ship had a raised lion head that looked more ridiculous than it did imposing. A single motor at the back provided the motion.

He looked over it once and turned to the boat-keeper. "You have got to be kidding me."

"I'm sorry, but it's the last boat we have. And you won't be doing enough traveling to warrant something bigger."

He finally, grudgingly, got onboard and headed out. He actually had to rely on NAVI most of the trip because it was too dark for him to see well. At Windfall, he docked in a prepared private section on the western side. The boat got him more than a few looks, but he ignored them as best he could.

The next morning should have been his day off. But he'd missed a lot of work the past few days, so he went in for some extra paperwork after a very sore morning. What met him completely threw him off guard.

The computer started like normal. His normal programs began like normal. But when he shifted through the screens and dug down to the desktop, a new folder was sitting in the corner. He didn't recognize the name at all: "Project Sage." Perhaps it was some new documents sent by Vall. The first document under the folder completely froze his vision. "What the…?" He scanned through all of the documents, making sure it wasn't a mistake.

A man stuck his head through the window. "Hey, Link."

Link jumped, quickly finding the button to close the window. "Yeah?"

"Did you finish those proposals for the committee?"

"Not yet. I'll get to it today."

"Thanks." He tapped the doorway and left.

Link watched the doorway for another moment before pulling out his personal flash drive. With several quick clicks, the documents were copied and deleted. He even went so far as to clean the hard drive completely.

Something had either gone terribly wrong or terribly right.

----------

"Here you go, Link." Mido handed him a silver pistol. It was lighter than the other one and had an entirely different design. The caliber seemed massive.

"What is this?"

"Paintball pistol." He took it back and pointed it at the wall. It gave a soft thud as it fired. Link could barely see a small round hit the wall with a splat of color. "Zelda wants you to do a full combat match."

Link retook the pistol. "Aren't laser vests a bit more accurate?"

"We can't afford that kind of technology. These are less accurate, but they do the job. And they provide a little more incentive to not get shot."

He slipped the pistol into the holster on his side. It felt a bit awkward having the extra weight but he would adjust to it. He pulled a wooden sword out, careful this time to choose one that had a proper balance, and slid it into the holster across his back. He wasn't too sure about this battle, but he'd be prepared for it.

Mido led him down another flight of steps. When he stepped through the door, he was met with a large room. Several halls spread out into rooms. He couldn't see much, but it looked like it became a maze.

Zelda was waiting just inside the door. "Good to see you're ready." She had two pistols identical to Link's, one at each hip. In one hand, she held a thin rapier loosely.

Link paused. "You're my opponent?"

She smirked. "Surprised?"

"Just a little."

"This room is our custom training facility," Zelda said as she waved to the hallways. "The rooms are made to simulate a basic business complex. First one to eliminate the other wins. I'll start on the other side." Her body suddenly started to vanish. Just before the space became completely empty, "Good luck."

Link became shocked again. She had just vanished!

Mido looked over his face. "Farore's Wind. One of her better spells." He gave Link a quick pat on the back. "Good luck. You'll need it."


	7. 6

**6**

Without much to go on, Link chose the hallway on the left. The pistol quickly came out of its holster as he slowly went through the rooms. Several of them were filled with cubicles, a few filled with desks, and some others looked like conference rooms. The more Link searched, the more he didn't like it. In any of the rooms so far, he wouldn't have enough space to maneuver in a sword fight.

A soft pop sounded from his left. A small orb splattered against the wall a foot in front of his face. He jumped backwards, ducking behind a doorway. He quickly found a cubbyhole and slid inside, peering just around the corner. Zelda ran through the same door and kept running.

He jumped out, held his gun out, and fired a shot. But the round simply hit air, splattering against the wall. Once again, she'd vanished.

For the first time, Link realized just how much of a challenge this would be. Not only did he not know his way around, he was up against a magician that could teleport around at will. With few options, he gave chase in the direction Zelda had fled.

He turned a corner and discovered a larger open space. Plants were growing in the corners and bright lights made it much brighter than the rest of the urban maze. He ducked behind a bush and examined the room. It was very open, more than enough space to have a close-quarters duel.

The air around him suddenly became extremely hot. "Din's Fire!"

Link dove away out of shear instinct as the air burst into flames. He used the momentum to roll up to his feet and faced Zelda, who had appeared in a door on the far side. She had one of her pistols leveled. With a puff of white gas and a pop, a bullet sped towards him.

He ducked his head, just missing the projectile. In the same move, he brought up his pistol and fired. But it never came close. Zelda waved her hand through the air and a clear blue crystal materialized around her, catching the shot.

Link's hopes sank with that display of defense. If she could summon a shield at a simple hand gesture, he'd never have a chance at hitting her. His only chance would be close up. He dropped the pistol into his right hand and drew his sword with his left.

As if matching his move, Zelda slid her pistol back into its holster and pulled out the rapier. If it was a sword fight, Link might just have a chance.

He dove forward, thrusting his sword forward. Zelda spun out away from it. But he anticipated it, and twisting his sword, turning the stab into a horizontal swing. Her spinout was faster than he thought, and she was out of the swing range before he could connect.

It seemed before she even put her foot down, she was charging in with a thrust. He twisted his sword again, knocking the thrust high, and followed through with a backhand swing. But she was already out again.

He would have to get in real close where she couldn't thrust or move out before he struck. With a quick flick, he feigned a thrust. She jumped back out of range of the attack, but he was already charging in with his body and a wide-arc swing. It was so flawless that he was certain he had her.

But even as he started to swing, she had vanished. His blade hit nothing but air. Something smashed against his back as he stepped out of the move.

He twisted, and Zelda was standing on the far side of the courtyard, her pistol held out. So it was actually a bullet that killed him. She lowered it and stepped forward. Clearly the match was over. "You're mind is too narrow. You became too focused on your sword and forgot about all of your options. Several times you could have shot me." She stopped a few feet from him. "Never forget everything you have and everything around you. It could save your life."

----------

Link docked the King, which was still his boat and seemed it would always be regardless of how much he begged, and made his way through the city towards the South Spire. His bout with Zelda had left him more tired than he thought it would.

The city was eerily quiet as he walked. Normally, there would be a fair crowd milling the streets and enough lights to make it appear like daytime. But as he walked, he passed no more than five people in ten minutes. The silence was starting to get to him.

NAVI, hovering next to him, jumped. "Hey, listen. Do you hear that?"

Link froze, training his ears to his surroundings. He thought he heard a soft cry, but couldn't be certain.

NAVI moved over towards a dark alley. "This way."

He paused for a moment, thinking that this couldn't be a good idea, and followed. He turned a corner and saw a woman being forced against the wall by a man holding a knife. The man was pulling at a bag she had around her arm. "Come on, NAVI. Let's go."

She spun at him. "You aren't going to help her? What about all the stuff you did back at the base? Go kung fu on his ass!"

He leaned his head back around the corner in time to see him smack her with his hand. It wouldn't be so hard. He had a big surprise advantage. He didn't know why, but he felt a sudden desire to help the woman. He could knock that man out with one hit.

Before he realized it, he was moving across the alley. With barely a sound, he took a hop into the air, going into a spin. It was a powerful diagonal slash in a normal duel, but this time his sword was his arm. The blow struck, and the man took one dizzy step before crumbling into a heap on the concrete.

The woman stood in shock for a moment. Link was a bit shocked himself. She looked him over. "Thank you." And then she was gone into the shadows.

Link stood frozen to the spot for a full minute before he finally got his legs to move and was back out into the street.

NAVI fluttered excitedly around his head. "That was amazing."

He tried to ignore her as he moved at a fast walk. It was bad enough that he had actually just done that without her pressure. The move kept playing through his mind as he walked into the Spire and entered the elevator.

Any other day, he would have left the woman to fend for herself. He couldn't really fathom why he had moved to save her. But he also couldn't fathom why he actually had a lingering sensation of adrenaline-fueled joy.

----------

The day of the public speech had finally come. With each passing day, Link's sense of anticipation had grown. But he still couldn't figure out which type of anticipation it was: fear or excitement.

The group walked through the halls of the North Pillar with Ganondorf at the head. They would go to the balcony on the seventieth floor for the speech. Link knew what would happen there, so he kept his mouth shut and his eyes forward.

----------

Zelda looked down from level 75 of the South Spire. From here, she would have a perfect view of the speech and the shot.

Three snipers had been set up throughout the South Spire and the West Tower. They only needed one, but they had enough redundancy to run six operations, including four dummy sites and Zelda's own little fail-safe.

"How long?" she asked without taking her eyes from the balcony.

Mido checked his watch. "Three minutes."

She pressed a button on the radio next to her. "Set up. Three minutes to strike."

One by one they answered. "Roger." "Ready." "Sighted in."

----------

The doors opened and they stepped out into the light. The sound of several news choppers caused the air to ripple. A dozen platforms had been affixed to chopper platforms that floated around the towers and allowed a few hundred people in-person views of the speech.

Link took his place along the back wall of the balcony as Ganondorf and his court took their seats and a few security guards positioned themselves around the balcony's edge. Only a select few of them actually knew what this speech was about.

His eyes scanned the other towers. The sun prevented a good look at the West Tower windows and he couldn't see enough detail of the South Spire. Hopefully these snipers were good shots.

----------

Zelda watched the man step up to the podium. "Take aim."

No one replied this time, as was the plan. They would sight in on his chest. The range was around 600 yards with a slight wind from the northwest. Under these conditions, a chest shot was practically assured. A headshot would be more certain of a kill, but there were too many variables and too many men surrounding Ganondorf to risk it.

----------

Ganondorf adjusted the microphone and began. "Ladies and gentlemen of the United Islands, thank you for joining me today.

"The past many years have been a great time for our society. Not only has crime been reduced, but health is at an all-time high and technology has progressed beyond levels previously seen in our world."

Link wanted to scoff at his comments, but kept it all to himself.

----------

She hit the radio button. "Take the shot."

----------

"But there are many in our world that would strive to destroy all that we have worked for. They work to steal, destroying our economy. They fight our armed forces, threatening our security."

----------

Zelda waited. Twenty seconds had passed. Too long for nothing to happen. "Report."

Five seconds with no reply. Then, in quick words, "Code Black!"

Mido jumped up from the bed. "What?"

"I repeat—Code Black! Get off me…" And the radio went silent.

----------

"It is with great hurt that I tell you," Ganondorf continued, his voice growing sad, "that an attempt on my life was taken today."

An audible gasp rose from the city as well as several of the court. Link stared with wide eyes.

"Three snipers placed by the People of the Great Sea had orders to shoot me."

His jaw went slack. They knew?

"They have been apprehended and will receive the greatest fury of the law."

----------

Zelda body went numb as she heard the speach. Three good men, lost.

Mido started to gather his things. "We need to move."

She tuned the radio to another frequency. Time to pull her trump card. "You have a go." She joined him out the door, leaving only the equipment and no other trace of their presence.

----------

Ganondorf held up a hand to settle the cries that were emanating from the city. "The People have gone with too much freedom for too long. As of 9 o'clock tonight, I am issuing Martial Law."

Another cry rose from the depths, which Link was only slightly aware of. The implications were already running through his mind. Martial Law would give Ganondorf complete and unquestionable power of everything.

"We will not allow…"

Link heard a soft pop from above him. A moment later, a small red hole appeared in the back of Ganondorf's head. Panic hit the balcony instantly.

He quickly looked up, towards the top of the Pillar. A figure leapt from the building and glided off into the sun.

When he looked back, the security was already surrounding Ganondorf and the court members were cowering to the ground. Unlike everyone else, though, Ganondorf looked completely calm. He had a hand pressed to his skull. And on the back of his hand, three yellows triangles pulsed gently.

The sight made Link pause, even amidst the pandemonium. Those hadn't been there before.

The guards herded Ganondorf back into the tower. As he passed, Ganondorf's hand fell from his head.

The bullet hole was gone.

**A/N: Bum bum BUMMMMM**

**REVIEW! NOW! DO IT!**


	8. 7

**7**

Mido paced anxiously, his mind tumbling through possibilities. "Maybe we had a slip somewhere."

"No," Mesa said, who stood next to the wall. "They don't make mistakes like that."

"What about someone seeing them?"

"No way they would have responded in time."

Mido paused. "Best chance it was probably a slip."

"Not a chance."

"Boys, please," Zelda begged. She sat at the main table with her hands cushioning her temples. Around her, the lights from the user-less computer screens created a very calming glow that helped to focus her thoughts. But their bickering wasn't helping. "We need to focus on the more important matter." She flipped through the papers before her. "How secure are our people in the cities?"

Mido shrugged. "As safe as they've ever been. But I have no doubt that Ganondorf will soon be raiding every house that even whispers the word 'People'."

She sighed. "Get as many as you can here."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I know it's a risk. But I'd like to know for sure that they're safe."

"It had to have been an inside job," Mesa said again. He was perfectly clear that he felt a spy had come into their midst.

"You're over-paranoid," Mido said with a sigh.

"How can you not see it? We get a new operative…"

"Who did get us the information we needed," Mido pointed out.

"That just happens to lead to a trap. He had to have told them about it. There's no other way they could have known."

Mesa was so certain about it that Zelda had trouble keeping a positive light about it. "Call him in." She leveled a finger at Mesa. "But I don't want you turning this into an inquisition."

Mesa gave a nod and left. As soon as the door closed, Mido turned to her. "Do you really think Link's with them?"

She sighed heavily. "I honestly don't know. There's always a chance that someone could be slipping secrets."

"So what happens if he is?"

"If he is, we're already dead."

----------

As soon as he sailed his boat through the doors, Link knew he was in trouble. Mesa waited on the rocks with two armed men who quickly trained their guns at him. Without a welcome, he was taken straight to the conference room. Zelda, Saria, and Mido were already there, and Mesa staid while the guards left. Going by the looks on their faces, Link had a very bad feeling.

"Link, there's something we need to know," Zelda started.

Mesa cut her off. "How much did you tell Ganondorf?"

"Mesa, that's enough."

Link jumped in. "What's all this about?"

Zelda looked at him. He could see a bit of fear hidden behind a wall of strength that became evident when she spoke. "There are some that believe you are a spy for Ganondorf."

"No, I'm not," Link sputtered. "I helped you, didn't I?"

"And it led to our three best marksmen being capture," she replied with a steady voice. She didn't really think he was a spy, he realized. That or she just wasn't sure.

"I'm not a spy."

"Any spy would deny himself," Mesa pointed out.

"We don't even have any evidence against him," Mido said almost at the point of a scream.

"Look at what happens less than a week after he shows up," Mesa screamed back. "What more evidence do you need?"

Zelda turned to the older woman next to her. "You've stayed quiet, Saria. What do you think?"

Saria remained silent for a moment and then stood, moving around the table to Link. She looked up, deeply into his eyes, and held his gaze for several seconds. "He is hard to read," she said as she turned away from him. "I can only sense that he has a strong hand in the fate of this world. But whether it be for good or for evil, I cannot tell."

"We should assume the worst case possible," Mesa said before anyone else could speak. "Lock him up."

"If we always followed the worst possibilities, we wouldn't even be here."

"Can I say something?" Link asked. The room fell silent and all eyes turned to him. "Is there anything I can do that would prove I'm not a spy?"

Mido and Zelda shared a look. "If you have something that would absolutely confirm it, then yes."

Link reached into his pocket and pulled out his flash drive. "How about some more information?"

Mesa walked over and took the small storage device. "Your information is what got our men into trouble the first time."

"What kind of information are we talking about?" Mido asked.

"Ganondorf's secret project." They appeared to remain skeptical. "Trust me, you want to see this."

Zelda thought for a moment. "It wouldn't hurt to check it out. But have Arty scan it first."

Mesa nodded and walked over to one of the computers.

"Folder 'Project Sage'," Link said as he pushed the drive into its slot.

Mesa pulled out his cell phone and hit a button. "Arty. Scan folder CP7/E:/Project_Sage/."

A video chat with Arty suddenly appeared on the computer screen. "I'm running the program now." There were a few anxious seconds of silence. As they passed, Arty's face became more and more curious. "How did you get this file?" he finally asked. He sounded surprised.

All eyes turned to Link. "NAVI found it."

Arty shook his head. "Impossible. NAVI's processor can only handle level-2 encryption. This is level-5. Very high stuff."

Mesa quickly turned. "You see? He couldn't have gotten that file if he wasn't a spy."

"Is it safe?" Mido asked quickly to change the subject.

"Oh, yeah. It's only a small collection of word processor files. No bugs to worry about here."

"Thanks, Arty. You can go."

"Right." The screen disappeared.

"I want to look at this," Zelda said. Mesa stepped aside and she sat down in the computer chair. Several screens of text popped up and she quickly scanned through each one. After several tense minutes, she shook her head. "I can't make sense of this. It's obvious he's searching for something, but I don't know what." She kept searching. "Something he calls the 'Essence of the Goddesses'."

Saria gasped from the table. "What did you just say?"

Zelda turned. "The Essence of the Goddesses. That means something to you?"

The woman brought a shaking hand to her chest. Just under her breath, she whispered, "The Triforce." Then louder, "I need my papers. Have Arty bring down my papers now."

Mesa made the call while Zelda pressed her for more. "It is an old tale," Saria said. "Many ages ago, the three goddesses left a great power amongst the earth. Anyone who laid their hand on it would have their deepest desires granted."

"Goddesses?" Mido asked. "There's no such thing as gods or goddesses."

"So say you. But just because we don't see them doesn't mean they aren't here. They are always watching."

Mido gave a huff. "I'll believe that when I see it."

Arty pushed through the door, several rolls of paper under his arms. "Goodness Saria. Ever think of leaving the Stone Age?" He dropped the papers onto the table.

"Thank you, Arty. This is a private matter, so could you…"

"Oh, yeah. Sure." He made sure the papers would stay, picked up one that fell to the floor and slipped out, closing the door quietly behind him.

Saria quickly searched the rolled documents and pulled one out from the rest. With a quick brush, she pushed the others to the floor and spread the sheet of brown parchment open. "This is it," she said softly in wonder.

Most of the page was taken up by a single picture of three large triangles stacked into a pyramid. Rays of ink light emanated from it, creating a sense of power. An intricate language Link did not recognize filled up the edges of the paper.

Link tapped the page. "Ganondorf had that on the back of his hand."

Saria's eyes found his. "You're sure?"

"Yeah. It was there when that sniper shot him."

"Which one? One of the three would have been more prominent."

He checked again, trying to remember. "I think it was the top one."

"The Triforce of Power. Everything makes sense now." She stepped back, finding a seat and lowering herself into it. "That is why we haven't been able to kill him. The Triforce is protecting him."

"And he's after the other two pieces," Zelda concluded. "If he gets them, he'll be unstoppable."

"He's already unstoppable," Mido said sourly.

"There was something else in the files," Link said. "Something about a sword."

"The Sword of Evil's Bane," Saria said to no one. "Of all things, he mustn't get that. If Ganondorf does indeed have the Triforce of Power, the Sword will be the only thing capable of stopping him."

"I think he already knows where it is. The last file is about an excavation on Headstone Isle."

"We should stop him."

"Hold on one moment," Mesa said, finally stepping back up to the table. "A minute ago this man was being questioned as a spy. This could be another trap."

Zelda shared a look with Mido, then with Saria. "This is huge. I'm not sure we have the space to assume this is a trap."

"We also have Saria's word. She hasn't been wrong yet," Mido said.

Mesa gave each a light glare. "Fine. Follow a traitor's word. But I'll have none of it." He turned his back and walked for the door.

"Whatever you're going to do," Link said as the man left, "I want to be part of it."

Mido almost instantly shook his head. "We can't allow that. We don't know what we'll find there."

"Exactly, which is why you need all the help you can get." Then he looked at Zelda. "You've seen me with a sword. I can take care of myself. Give me the chance to prove I'm with you. I need to do this."

Zelda became completely torn. She didn't know if Link could be trusted. She didn't know if going on this wild goose chase was a good idea. But she did know that he was accurate on one note: they needed as much help as they could get. "You're in."


	9. 8

**8**

Even from seven hundred yards out, Link could see the remains of the massive headstones. Once, long ago, this tiny island was home to some forty stones, each carved into the shapes of faces and heads, hence the name. They had since been taken as decorations or broken down for resources. The largest had somehow been destroyed and lay in pieces across the sandy shore. A large cavern opened up into the one small mountain that comprised half of the island, but it had long been abandoned because it didn't have any good resources past the first ten yards.

What really surprised Link was that there was nothing else. Judging by the Project Sage files, he would think that Ganondorf would be rushing to find this ancient relic. But the small beach looked like it had gone untouched for many years.

"It's a bit too quiet," Mido said from the other side of Zelda. They were the only three making the journey. No one else had volunteered.

"This island isn't part of the central system. He's probably got a lot of red tape to clear out," Link explained, hoping it was somewhat accurate. "Assuming he just found this, we should still have a few days at least."

"Let's hope you're right," Mido put back.

"OK, let's go."

----------

Ganondorf watched through the telescope. They were going right in. His contact had yet to let him down.

He stood up and scratched the back of his hand. For some reason, he couldn't go within half a mile of the island. Whenever he tried to sail to it, a tingling spread into his arm and through his body that would turn into pain as he got closer. His men hadn't been able to find anything.

Now they, the very people that were trying to stop him, would retrieve his prize.

----------

The water splashed around his shoes when he jumped from the boat and hauled it onto the sand. It was around noon, so the tide should be at the midpoint going outwards. The boat would be safe.

As Link turned, he felt the comforting weight of the sword at his back. No more wood. This one was pure steel with a heavy pommel. Mido had insisted that they bring some kind of weapons in case Ganondorf should show up. Everyone carried at least one pistol and Link had his sword at his back. None of them actually expected to use them, though.

When the boat was beached enough to not wash away, they spread out, searching for any kind of clues. But for an hour, all Link could find was a bunch of rocks. Nothing stuck out as strange or particularly old.

He stood up from his slouch, cracking his back. "I got nothing over here."

"Same," Mido answered back. Zelda didn't call.

Link looked around. "Zelda?"

Zelda was standing in front of the cave. Her hand hung over her chest. She stood completely motionless, her eyes looking into the space carved into the grey stone.

Link walked over and tapped her shoulder. "Zelda?"

She jumped, taking a quick gasp. "Oh, Link."

He followed her gaze into the cave. "What's up?"

She shook her head. "I don't know." She walked into the cave. Link made sure Mido had seen them before he joined her.

The cavern walls were rough from pick-axes and drilling machines. Enough light only made it in to barely see the back wall fifteen yards from the entrance. The rock was dark and grey, completely dry.

Link paused at the entrance to look around. But the inside was the same as the out: completely normal.

As Zelda stepped towards the back wall, the floor suddenly glowed brightly. Three large triangles of light materialized from the stone, with Zelda at their center.

Link took a cautious step back at the sudden sight. "Zelda?"

But she just kept walking, oblivious to his cry. She stepped out of the triangle's edge, and it slowly faded. An identical symbol appeared on the far wall. But this one was slightly different. The top symbol was glowing brightly while the lower two were only just visible. She stopped just short of the wall and reached out a hand to touch the lower right triangle. That triangle grew in intensity to match the upper one. At the same time, the three triangles appeared on the back of her hand.

The rock around him suddenly began to shake violently. Chips from the ceiling began to rain down. Before he could say anything, the far wall crashed into itself, kicking up a massive wall of dust that swept over him. The dust quickly filled his throat, forcing him to cough.

"_cough cough. _Zelda?"

After the magnificent crash, the shaking stopped. But it took several seconds for the dust to fully settle. Slowly, the silhouette of the woman appeared through the smoke. She still had her hand raised, as if she was still caressing the rock.

He ventured further in through the smoke. "Zelda? You OK?" Rocks still clicked onto floor. "Zelda?" A light from the far side began to crack through the dust and caught his eye.

Suddenly, thoughts of Zelda and his surroundings left his mind. The more the dust settled, the more he became transfixed beyond the hole created in the rock.

The rock ended suddenly, giving way to green grass. Trees grew along the edge of a larger space. A greenish light spread from the ceiling, bathing the strange grotto in serenity. And at its center, a hunk of carved rock created a stage, separated from the grass. And at the center of the makeshift stage, a tall sword stood brilliantly.

Before Link realized it, he had stepped onto the raised stone. At his touch, the glowing triangles appeared around him, centered at the sword. The lower left triangle was still faded.

Without thinking, he reached forward and clutched the hilt of the sword. It fit perfectly in his hand. With a single pull, he drew it from the slot keeping it upright.

Below him, the third triangle grew in intensity to match the others, but he didn't notice. His eyes were transfixed on the bladed he held. The metal seemed to emanate a wave of power that swelled through him. It was beautiful.

"ZELDA!"

Mido's sudden cry tore him back. With a single blink, the grotto vanished. The cave appeared completely untouched as it had when they'd first arrived. Zelda stood next to him, equally perplexed. "What just happened?" she asked.

Link started to shrug, but felt a weight in his hand: the sword. He was still clutching the sword.

"Where did you get that?"

Footsteps crunched at the entrance, drawing their attention. Mido stopped just outside. "Zelda! We've got a problem."

_BANG_

Mido's back arched, his face twisting. In a silent scream, he collapsed to the ground.

"Mido!" Zelda rushed forward, but only got two steps before she froze. A line of armed men stepped in from the beach.

Link instinctively leaned back into a defensive stance and reached for his pistol. But he already knew they were doomed. It was ten against two. "Zelda, got any ideas to get us out?"

She didn't respond. Her eyes were transfixed on the man lying dead on the floor.

"Such a shame. But some men must be sacrificed."

Link froze. He knew that voice.

Two of the armed men backed up, creating a gap, and let the tall man through. "Ganondorf."

"Hand it over," he said quickly without a hello.

"Hand what over?"

"That sword," he cried, pointing at the sword.

A pulse shot up Link's arm, emanating from the sword. He glanced down. Yellow triangles, almost identical to Ganondorf's, had appeared on the back of his hand.

Ganondorf's face displayed a hint of surprise. "So, you've found the other two pieces as well as the sword." A grin spread across his lips. "Take them."

The two men on the end moved forward, keeping their guns trained.

"Zelda, if you're going to do something, now would be the time."

She finally looked up, seeing the men around her. Her eyes flashed as she realized the danger. Fast as a dart, she swirled her arms around her. Her body suddenly began to fade.

"NO!" Ganondorf shouted. "Stop her!" The men lunged.

Acting quickly, Link threw the sword from his hands. The men stepped backwards. Using the time, Link reached over and hugged what was left of Zelda. The next instant, they vanished.

The sword continued towards Ganondorf. But he barely flinched. In one motion, he grabbed it by the hilt, halting its motion.

His eyes traced over the blade, down to the blue guard. "At long last… It's finally mine."

----------

Link gasped as the world around him shifted. The grey stone remained, but the tight confines of the cave became the large conference room.

Saria was sitting at the table, and she gasped at their appearance. But it didn't seem to be from shock as much as concern. "What happened?"

Link stepped away from Zelda, his hands suddenly feeling empty.

Zelda glanced around. "I teleported here? I've never gotten this far."

Saria pushed herself to her feet. "For the sake of the gods, tell me what happened."

"Ganondorf knew we were coming. They killed Mido." The room went silent.

Link turned to her. "Zelda, I'm sorry. I had no idea Ganondorf would be there."

She twisted to him in a blur. "You're the one that led us there in the first place. Now Mido is dead and Ganondorf has the only thing that can stop him. This is all your fault." She jabbed a finger at him and he stepped back at her sudden ferocity. "You're a spy. You can't deny it now." Her finger flew to point at the door. "Get out of my base."

**A/N: I really don't like to have to keep asking, but here it is. Please leave a review. I like it when people tell me what I'm doing wrong or right.**


	10. 9

**9**

Link stood motionless for a few seconds before silently leaving. As soon as the door clicked shut, Zelda fell into the nearest chair.

By now, Saria had figured out everything. She knew enough to not ask anything about Mido. Zelda had trusted him like a brother and felt the same about him. Instead, she focused on the other bad news. "So Ganondorf now has the sword."

"Yes, he does."

"This is not good."

Zelda finally managed to pick her head up, though tears threatened to spill down her face. "Just what will he do with the sword?"

Saria picked up another piece of worn parchment, spreading it wide. "The Blade of Evil's Bane, the Master Sword."

"Wait, Blade of _Evil's _Bane?" Zelda asked, cutting her off. "But Ganondorf is evil. How can he possibly be in possession of it?"

Saria searched the scroll. "He shouldn't be. The very blade would char his flesh." Her finger found a section and froze. "Unless it was somehow given to him."

Zelda scowled. "Link. He threw the sword to Ganondorf just before we left."

"I fear you are being too harsh on him." Zelda's head spun at Saria. "There are often circumstances that we cannot understand."

"I don't want to hear about it," she whispered back fiercely. "Now what does the sword do?"

The elder sighed and returned her eyes to the page. "The sword connects with whichever Triforce is wielding it to amplify its power. It is supposed to be used with the Triforce of Courage to imbue great fighting strength and undeterable courage. Should the Triforce of Wisdom wield it, they will possess unquestionable wisdom, even foresight. To the Triforce of Power…" She paused. "Unstoppable magical prowess."

Zelda's mind instantly began to tumble through the possibilities. Ganondorf had been known as a power magician even before he obtained the Triforce. With the sword, would they have any chance? "We have to stop him. Now, before he has a chance to use the sword."

"The sword is the only thing that can stop him," Saria reminded her.

"Then we'll get it back. Get every man and woman we have into the courtyard. We're going to storm Ganon's Tower tonight."

----------

As soon as Link got back to Windfall, he went straight up to his office. NAVI flittered by his head like always. She was a nice companion, but now she was also a bitter reminder of how he'd let everyone down. The setting sun cast blood-red light across the towers.

With every step through the city, he could see all he fought for dying. Guards walked on every street. The few others that walked about were quickly pushed along their way. One even shoved him, telling him to get home before curfew.

At one intersection, he stopped at the sound of screaming. Down an alley, a cluster of soldiers gathered around two Hyltas. Link couldn't see, but his imagination more than explained the sounds.

He fired up his computer and flipped through his files, looking for something to work on. But four folders and seven given-up files later, he gave up. His mind refused to settle.

Going to Headstone Isle wasn't supposed to cause so much trouble. It should have been in and out. How Ganondorf had known was completely beyond him. _But it hadn't been his fault._

He grabbed the mouse nestled under his hand and threw it into the wall beside him, burying it halfway through. With a heavy grunt, his fist followed, creating a second hole. Why did it happen this way?

Something shifted and fell from the inside of his sleeve. His fingers grabbed it as it slipped out. It was the tiny dart-gun Arty had given him.

A dark plan started to form in his mind. Ganondorf should be back by now and he rarely had strict guards outside of his main office. If he could slip inside, he could knock the man out and find a more solid way of killing him while he was asleep.

"NAVI, where is Ganondorf right now?"

She paused for a second as she scanned the network. "In his office."

Could he do that? He could get past the few guards easily if he claimed to have papers from Vall. There would be numerous items within his office that he could use to make the actual kill. But would the dart even work? Two or three might work and it had six. It could work. It was a longshot…

He reset the pistol into his sleeve and began to collect his fake papers. "Come on, NAVI." She joined him at the door.

Ganondorf's office was five stories above his own. He grabbed the elevator at the end of the hall that was just about to close. It jarred, accelerating more slowly than usual, but quickly got underway. At the floor, two guards stopped him as he stepped out. He flashed his credentials, showed his papers, and they let him through. Part one was good.

Surprisingly, when he turned the corner to Ganondorf's office, the hall was empty. Where there should have been a man standing guard was just a door. That made it even better.

He tried to play it cool as he walked up. His heart wasn't pounding nearly as much as he thought it should be.

The door to the office was cracked open. As he reached for the handle, he heard a voice from inside. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir. They are already entering the West Tower."

Link recognized that second voice: Mesa. What was he doing talking to Ganondorf?

"And Zelda herself is leading them. They're going straight up to your palace."

The plan vanished into thin air as Link paced his mind through that sentence. The People, Zelda at their lead, were entering the Tower. And Mesa was spilling everything.

"Thank you, Mesa," Ganondorf said with more than a hint of satisfaction. "You're proven yourself yet again."

_Again?_ Now it all made sense. But he didn't dwell on that long.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I must prepare for my guests." The sound of a chair sliding on carpet slipped through the door.

Link quickly stepped back, ducking behind the nearest doorway. Seconds later, Ganondorf walked by, the sword strapped to his back.

Now, Link's heart began to race. Ganondorf was right there. But the People… They'd be going up the elevators now, more than likely straight to their death. He had to stop them.

----------

Zelda waited patiently in the glass elevator. Behind her, seventeen men and three other women stood armed to the teeth. The first round of guards they had taken out quietly, which was good. So far, no one had noticed their presence. And with Arty hijacking the elevator, they wouldn't have any stops between here and the palace.

The elevator suddenly slowed and came to a screeching halt at the fifty-third floor. Zelda clicked her wrist radio. "Arty, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he answered back. "You should be moving."

The door slid open. Any man that could move quickly pulled his gun up.

Link stood in the hallway, panting. He quickly held a hand to the doorway, keeping it open. "You have to stop. Ganondorf's waiting for you."

Zelda paused at his sudden appearance. "Link? How did you know we were coming?"

"Mesa. Mesa is the spy."

She shook her head. "Impossible. Mesa's…" Her head turned, searching the cabin. But Mesa wasn't there. "Mesa?"

"We lost Mesa somewhere in the city," one of her soldiers answered.

Zelda swore under her breath. She didn't have time for this. Her eyes caught Link's. "Why should I trust you?"

"This is why." He held up his hand, Triforce symbol glowing brightly. "You need me. I know the castle and how to get up there without being detected. Please, just you and me. Send everyone else up here if you don't believe me." His eyes betrayed his courageous face. She could easily tell that he was on the verge of pleading.

"Zelda." She turned back at the voice. Outside the glass, the city spread outwards. But above, where there had been a red sky moments ago, spread black clouds. Lightning flashed outwards originating from straight above them. Whatever Ganondorf was planning, he was starting it already.

"We don't have much time," Link pleaded. "We have to go now."

Thoughts tore through her mind, going through numerous possibilities. He did have a point though; two Triforce pieces against one would give them a slight advantage. "Ok." She turned to everyone else. "You all head up. Cause as much ruckus as you can. If you get a shot at Ganondorf, take it." She stepped out and the elevator closed. "You better not be lying to me."

"I wouldn't. Now come on." He tore down the hallway and she followed. He took her to a service elevator up several floors and into a side-door that seemed to lead to a crawl space. But he quickly found a set of stairs and started to climb.

"Where does this go?" she asked as she followed.

"It's an emergency escape from the roof. We can get inside and come at him from above where no one will be watching."

----------

He stood tall at the edge of roof, letting his gaze pass over the darkening horizon. With only a thought, he brought a flash of lightning to crash through the sky. The sheer power flowing through him was addicting.

His hand tingled. He glanced back at the door on the far side. They would be coming up any minute now. At long last, the world would be his.

He turned back, watching the clouds spread.

**A/N: The battle is upon us. Leave your review and I'll see you again next week.**


	11. 10

**10**

As soon as they reached the top, Link burst through the door, not even bothering to check for guards. Zelda followed a little more hesitantly.

Her eyes instantly found the man standing by the edge of the roof. He was standing proudly with the sword strapped to his back.

"I'm sick of how this world has turned out," he said gently without turning. "Crime, rebellion… It makes me sick." He held up his hand, admiring the symbol on its back. "But it won't be that way for long."

Zelda scanned the flat roof. No guards. One entrance besides the way they'd come. It was too perfect. He _had _known. "But it's your fault it's like this," she said to keep him talking. She had to come up with a plan.

"Not true." He turned, finally looking at them. "The people do what the people want. Which is why they can't be permitted to choose anything for themselves."

"You can't take away the people's freedom of choice!" Zelda screamed.

"But imagine the peace it will create. If everyone were to simply follow, there wouldn't be any problems."

Link's eyes flicked over at Zelda. She stood tall, ready to move at a moment's notice. But she was watching Ganondorf, not him. He spun quickly, grabbing her shoulder and bringing his knee around. His kneecap crashed into the side of hers. With a shocked gasp, she dropped. Before she could strike back, he leapt out of her range.

Her leg instantly went numb at the hit. She tried to stand, but it wouldn't even move. She looked up at Link, completely shocked. His face was stern and straight. "No… You…TRAITOR!!!"

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "But I have to do this." He walked backwards, towards Ganondorf.

Ganondorf walked forward to stand by Link. "Well done. I knew there was a reason I chose you to infiltrate the People. Now, Triforce, come forth!"

The light on each of their hands grew brighter. A single triangular piece lifted off of each one and flew into the sky. With a bright flash, they aligned into the pure Triforce.

The evil ruler's eyes were alight with excitement. "Yes! At long last, it's finally mine!"

Link could feel the power rolling off of the relic. It slowly began to fall towards the roof. "I'm sorry, Ganondorf. But it's not yours."

In one swift motion, he reached up, grabbed the hilt of the sword, and spun into a wide-arc slash, pulling the sword with him. Ganondorf was shocked just long enough for him to pull the blade free. But as he rotated into the spin, Ganondorf leapt back.

Just then, the Triforce came within arm's reach. Halfway through the attack, they reached out for the golden pieces. Both of them made contact.

"Give the world to me!"

"Bring a pure ruler to power!"

The air stilled. Both had made their wishes at the same time.

Ganondorf was the first to speak, and it was a low laugh. "It seems the Triforce cannot answer both of our wishes at once."

Link swore under his breath. He had been hoping to end it quickly.

"So how about a deal. In ancient times, kings were chosen by their might in battle." He held a hand down. A black fog appeared in the air that seemed to shape and solidify. A black sword, long and straight, appeared in his grasp. "Let us settle this according to the old ways."

His hand clutched tighter to the sword in his hand. For all of his training, he'd never gone into an actual fight, only spars. But he wasn't at all afraid. He knew he could do this. "I accept your challenge."

The Triforce back up into the air. A yellowish circle appeared around them. Link held a hand out to the light, but it hit an invisible wall. Apparently the Triforce was going to see this fight through.

"HYAAAAAAhhh!"

Link turned. Ganondorf was airborne, sword pulled back for a thrust. He spun outwards, letting Ganondorf come past him. His hand twisted backwards, letting the blade edge of the Master Sword carry the outside of his motion. He could feel it dig into flesh as he spun away from the larger man.

Ganondorf grunted as he stood from his attack. His arm had a long slash across it. But even as Link watched, it seemed to stitch together, leaving only a small stain of blood.

"You'll have to do better than scratches." Ganondorf slid his sword behind him. Sparks crackled down it from his hand. With a grunt, he swung it upwards in a vertical slash. Lightning charged across the blade and shot outwards in a scythe of crackling energy.

Link dove to the side. The hairs on his neck jumped up as the energy attack passed by. Without waiting, he turned and rushed forward. Ganondorf cocked and swung horizontally, letting another lightning slash go. This time, Link dove into a roll. His legs tingled as the attack passed narrowly over his feet. As he came up out of the roll, he drove his sword upwards. Ganondorf fell backwards, the tip of the Master Sword just missing his chin. He followed through with a dropping slash, but by then Ganondorf managed to get his sword overhead and block.

The two entered a sort of dance, blades clashing together. Link parried and thrust. Ganondorf leaned and counter-swung. Link was faster, but Ganondorf was just fast enough to avoid major hits, though numerous cuts had formed as the Master Sword slid along his shoulder, his side, or his arm. None of the cuts stayed for more than a few seconds.

Link ducked under a high swing and brought his sword upwards. But this time, Ganondorf stepped forward, his hand outstretched. His fingers dug into Link's chest. His chest suddenly felt like it was on fire. His muscles spasmed as lightning coursed through them. And with one large shove, he was thrown back along the ground.

For a moment, all Link could do was lay in pain. His head throbbed; his chest burned.

"Link, you have to get up!" He twisted his head. Zelda was standing just beyond the barrier. "You aren't thinking, Link! Remember what I taught you."

Somehow, his arm shifted underneath of him. With a heavy grunt, he forced himself up into a sitting position. And from there, he was up to his feet. Her voice spoke to his mind. _"Remember all that you have available."_

Ganondorf watched, a smug grin on his face. "Persistent. Very well. I'll just to kill you." He ran, sword held back and ready.

Link teetered once as he watched the man run. "You can't do it. You can't stop the world!" His right hand flew to his side and came back up.

A sudden crack rang through the air. Ganondorf's head snapped back. The man's steps faltered, nearly sending him to the ground. Link didn't wait. He dropped the pistol and rushed forward. With a single mighty thrust, the Master Sword drove into Ganondorf's gut. Ganondorf screamed, the blade searing his stomach. But he fought back, trying to push back and pull the blade out.

Link kept running even as Ganondorf fought, pushing them both towards the roof edge. Suddenly, the ground disappeared and they were both airborne. Using the sword for leverage, Link spun in the air. As he came around, he planted his foot on the pommel of the sword and kicked hard. The sword plunged up to the guard into Ganondorf's chest, the tip of the blade bursting through his spine.

The ruler screamed even louder as he plunged back-first towards the ground. A second later, Link followed in the free fall.

He then realized his mistake. The good part was that none of the bridges between towers was underneath them. But that meant that the ground was 1000 feet down and approaching fast.

"Link!"

Zelda materialized beside him, her hand outstretched. He reached over and clutched it tightly. A moment later, they both shimmered and disappeared.

Ganondorf fell for nearly a minute, arms flailing in pain the whole way down. The holy metal burned hot as the sun through his lungs, slowly turning his flesh into stone. His howl slowly died as his head froze into an eternal scream.

The ground rose quickly. With a mighty crash, Ganondorf's body shattered in a plume of smoke. When the dust settled, the only thing remaining was a sword standing tall in the center of a twenty-foot crater.

**A/N: **Only one chapter to go. You'd be an idiot to leave now!

And I'm not really sure who would care, but I'm running a poll about writing a sequel for my story Twist of Fate (it's Pokemon-based for those who are wondering). If you care, please go over and vote.


	12. 11

**11**

The roof of the building suddenly slammed against his feet. In one motion, the world spun back into existence. Link fell to the ground, a small remnant of his fall still pulling him.

Zelda almost fell, but managed to find her footing. "We're not done yet. Come on." She ran for the door leading into the palace. Link pushed himself to his feet and followed close behind.

As soon as she pushed open the door, the sound of gunfire echoed outwards. They quickly descended a pair of steps to a metal door. Several pings rang off of it. Link swung around to the other side, taking Zelda's pistol. With a quick kick, she forced the door open and created a magical shield before her. Link followed behind.

He took in the scene in a moment. Guards were ducked behind corners and upturned desks. A few bleeding bodies had been pulled to safe zones further down the halls. He could only guess that the People's line looked the same down the hall.

One of the guards spotted them and turned, firing off several shots. Zelda shifted the shield to catch the bullets and Link leaned out to put a bullet through his foot. "STOP FIRING! ALL OF YOU!" Another one tried to fire at them. He received the same response as the first. The others quickly dropped their weapons. Within moments, the People had swarmed in, taking weapons and herding the guards.

Word quickly spread throughout the higher-ups that Ganondorf was dead. And Zelda was quick to keep the word going. She, as well as every one of her men, knew they would be arrested quickly. But they had succeeded in their mission, and that was enough to satisfy them.

They were waiting as the elevator slowly rose towards their capture. Zelda, who stood at the front, looked over at Link. "It's not too late for you to leave."

He shook his head. "I committed the act. I'll take whatever they deem fit."

She nodded. They all would have to.

The bell dinged as the door opened. Dozens of policemen swarmed outwards. But they swept past them, going deeper into the palace. As one, they turned, watching them go straight past.

"Madam Zelda…"

They turned back. A tall man in an officer's uniform stopped in front of them. "This is it," she said under her breath.

The man stopped and bowed. "It is good to know you are unharmed."

Link and Zelda shared a shocked glance. "Excuse me?"

He turned motioning towards the elevator. "We should get you to the safe room. More rebels could be on their way." Before she could say anything else, they were being herded into the elevator. Several men stood as guards around her, but they were facing outwards, not inwards at her.

The elevator quickly began to descend. Zelda caught a glance out over the city. It sparkled brilliantly, much brighter than she'd ever seen it. She could even see clear down into the slums. But the slums weren't actually slums. From what she could see, there wasn't a single street that looked beat up or distraught. In fact, if her eyes weren't tricking her, it almost seemed like several of the buildings in the distance were slowly changing into a cleaner, brighter form.

The elevator stopped and Zelda and Link were pulled through the halls. Link looked around, but he didn't recognize the floor at all. He should have; he knew every floor around Ganondorf's palace.

A door slid open and they were taken inside. A man looking at a line of television screens turned. "Thank the gods, Zelda, you're safe."

Zelda audibly gasped. "Mido?!"

Mido stepped over, bowing slightly. "I believe it was only the few anarchists that we've already taken, but it would be best if you stay here tonight."

Zelda suddenly jumped forward, taking him in a hug. "Oh, Mido." She fell back. "How are you alive?"

He looked down at her curiously. "Alive? I wasn't aware I was dead."

"But Headstone Isle…"

"When were you at Headstone?"

She searched his eyes. But he was completely serious. "You don't remember?"

"Remember what? Are you feeling alright?" He held a hand out to her forehead.

"I'm fine," she said, brushing his hand away. "Link, you remember, don't you?"

"Of course, I do. We went for the sword…" He clutched his hand. Nothing. He searched his hands. It was gone. "The sword is gone!" The back of his hand caught his eye. The symbol was gone.

Zelda checked her own hand, but there was no triforce. "What did you say when you touched the Triforce, Link?"

"'Bring a pure leader to power,' I think."

She glanced around. "I think this is that wish being fulfilled. It must have altered the world so that Ganondorf was never in power to begin with."

Mido jumped in, "My Lady, is everything alright?"

She laughed. "Yes. I think everything is fine now."

Link glanced around, suddenly feeling out of place. He had been under one of Ganondorf's main advisers.

Mido looked over at him. "Link, Vall is looking for you. He needs those files by tomorrow morning."

He looked back. "He is?"

His eyes met Zelda's. She shrugged. "The man is good and kind. I would easily choose him as an advisor."

His right hand absently scratched the back of his left. With a subtle grin, he chuckled. "I'll go find him."

"Link." He turned back to Zelda. "I'm sorry about everything that happened. I didn't mean for you to get so involved."

He smiled. "I wouldn't change it if I could. You know how to find me." He gave a mock salute and slipped through the door.

Mido raised an eyebrow at her. "What was that about?"

She shook her head. "I'll explain it to you later." She walked back over to a monitor that looked over the city. A gentle smile of pride came across her lips.

**A/N: Highest props to littleurmey, who is the father of this story. The entire plot was his doing. I just put it on paper. Urh… disk.**

**And many thanks to all of you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it and expect to hear about how much you enjoyed (or did not enjoy) it in your review.**

**Until next time…**


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